Carats are good for you!

I don't normally work with "real" gold, mostly plated findings, however I came across this Carat table and thought it would be worth sharing.

I think in the US it is actually Karats, hence the K when you are talking about gold. But it looks better with a C don't ya think?

(K) Caratage                     Gold Content
24k                                   100%
22k                                   91.75%
18k                                   75%
14k                                   58.5%
12k                                   50.25%
10k                                   42%
9k                                     37.80%
8k                                     33.75%

How to make your own Jewellery Display

I was tired of having to untangle all my silver chains, and having all my necklaces stuffed in a drawer seemed such a shame.  After a quick trip to Bunnings I decided to get a bit creative and make my own display.

I am NOT good at woodwork.  I distinctly remember my effort at school.... a "tape" rack that the tapes kept falling off (it was wonky!)  Thanks to the relatively minor amount of cutting and measuring, and the wonderful invention of "Liquid Nails" this project was relatively easy.

I have no idea what type of wood I bought, other than the back board was MDF (I lurve MDF.. might brag about my desk project in another post)  I just bought pieces that fitted the idea I had in my head.  I bought some flat strip, about 1 inch wide, a piece of dowel for my bracelet holder, and a chunky piece of wood for the ends.  Then I bought a heap of cup holders (make sure the screw in part is not longer than the thickness of your wood), a packet of L hooks and a pack of cork tiles.

I cut my flat strip into lengths to match the width of my board, and used the liquid glue to stick them in place.  Use bulldogs clips or clamps to hold them in place until they dry.  Then I used 2 cork tiles underneath the top strip, then another strip, then another 2 tiles, then another strip. 

The ends of the bracelet holder were a bit trickier.  I just cut 2 blocks, and used a drill bit the same diameter as my dowel to cut a hole in the middle, to about 3/4s of the way through.  Then I used my Dremel to cut from the edge to the sides of the dowel hole, again about 3/4s through, then chiselled out the middle.  This means I can slide the dowel in and out to put the bracelets on. I glued the ends onto the bottom of the board, with the dowel holes facing up, then trimmed the dowel to fit snugly into the ends.

Once the glue had dried I screwed the cup holders and L hooks on to the wood strips, about 5cm apart.  For the middle strip I set them halfway between the cup holders in the top row, and then did the bottom row same as top row.  This way my long necklaces won't interfere with the row underneath.  The idea of the cork was that if I wants to hang matching earrings next to necklaces, or smaller necklaces closer together, I could use push pins to hang them wherever I like.

Once done, just a couple of holes either end for the screws, then screwed it into the wall (look out for "wall mates" - they are awesome!) Voila, now I can see exactly what I have, they don't tangle and getting ready in the morning is a breeze!

The Silver Difference

I use 3 different types of silver, depending on customer requirements and what I am making, but here's a quick run down on the variances.

Silver Plated
This is usually a "layer" of silver over a base metal, which can be zinc, copper, nickel, lead, steel or any combination of those.  Usually this is done by "electro-plating" technique.  I try to buy nickel and lead free findings wherever possible due to allergies in the case of the nickel, and the health concerns of lead exposure.

Sterling Silver
Is 92.5% silver, with the rest being made up of other materials, usually copper.  This is why really old and un cared for pieces sometimes have a green tinge.  Usually marked with the word Sterling, or 925, or may have a lion mark.  Because a lot of my sterling silver jewellery is fine I may not have the ability to put this mark on.

Fine Silver
Is 99.9% silver, and because of this is a lot softer than Sterling.  Ok for Jewellery and delicate pieces, but not for your cutlery :)  I usually stamp my "Pure" range of Fine silver jewellery with 999, however occasionally I forget! 

All silver products will tarnish when exposed to air and water,  So keep in a sealed bag or box when not being worn, and clean often.

Inspiration

This Fashion feature appeared in the Jan 2010 edition of Madison Magazine.

I really like the "top" necklace.  I liked the "crunchy" look and the shapes, however at around $1,200 I reckon it would be out of most peoples price range, and for others it might be a bit "outrageous" to wear out and about.  What I am probably trying to say is that it looks great in the pic, but for general high street fashion it is a bit too "out there"

So, here is my take...

Still bold enough to make an impression, but not too ostentatious, and at $65 I reckon it's a steal.  I have called it "Castaway".  Check it out here.

How to Clean Silver Jewellery

This works cause I tried it, but you might have to give it 2 to 3 goes if it's really dark.  Silver polish is great for big things like your best dinner service or that plate handed down through the generations, but this is soooo much easier for your fine and delicate stuff.

You need lots of baking soda, foil wrap, a bowl, cold water, boiling water, spoon, towel.

Firstly, I attempted to make a paste using the baking soda and cold water, but you only need a tiny amount of water and it foams up.  Use this "fluffy" paste to rub into any really dark spots.
I then placed the foil wrap into the bottom of the bowl, put my jewellery in, and then covered it completely in baking soda (hence why you need loads!)
Next you add the boiling water - just enough to cover.  The water will foam and fizz, and bubbles will appear around your jewellery.
Once the bubbles have gone, take out your jewellery and dry with a towel. Repeat if necessary.

Here's a video I found on YouTube if you prefer visual instructions.  There are other demos but I liked the music in this one :)

New Website, New Outlook

The plan is to post news, views and ideas on here, and include useful hints and tips we can all share.
Some ideas I have in mind

• Compare pieces from retail stores and/or magazines with products available @ Joyera
• Hints and ideas on how to look after your jewellery, store it, wear it or change it.
• Meanings of semi-precious stones or features on their use and properties
• Interesting fashion articles or news relative to Joyera and jewellery
• What's new at Joyera!

If there is anything else you think would be a great feature to the blog let me know!